SEATTLE – Manager Scott Servais was not prepared to give the season-ending speech to his team. He expected the Seattle Mariners season to matter for at least a few more days — and possibly well into October.
After 10 wild innings that personified their season, the Mariners playoff hopes ended on Saturday night, extending baseball’s longest postseason drought to 15 years with a 9-8 loss to the Oakland Athletics.
“We’re not breathing anymore,” Servais said.
Lost in the drama of all the late action was a shaky final performance by Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma. After carrying the Mariners for stretches of the season, Iwakuma lasted just 3⅔ innings and gave up five runs in his last start of the year. He finished 16-12 on the season.
“I was just missing a lot of my pitches to the fat part of the plate. It cost me a lot,” Iwakuma said through an interpreter.
Weeks of living on the edge of playoff contention finally caught up with Seattle in game No. 161. Edwin Diaz gave up a one-out RBI double to Joey Wendle in the 10th and the Mariners were unable to mount one last rally after coming from behind four times earlier in the game.
Ben Gamel was standing at second base with no outs in the 10th after a single and wild pitch. He advanced to third when Nelson Cruz’s comebacker deflected off pitcher Ryan Madson (6-7) almost directly to first base, but the fortunate ricochet for Oakland prevented Gamel from possibly scoring.
Kyle Seager flew out to center field for the final out and final gasp in Seattle’s quest to get back to the playoffs.
“I’ve only been a Mariner for a year, but I have to believe that will go down as one of the most memorable games in Mariners history,” Servais said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way. You know, can’t say enough about our team. The competitive spirit.”
The Mariners last reached the postseason in 2001 when they tied the major league record with 116 wins in the regular season but were eliminated in the AL Championship Series by the New York Yankees.
They were hoping to take their playoff chances to the final day of the regular season for the second time in three years. After rallying for three runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to tie it 8-8, the Mariners couldn’t make game No. 162 count.
Yankees 7, Orioles 3
In New York, Tyler Austin tied the score with a seventh-inning home run, Austin Romine and Brett Gardner drove in two runs each in the eighth and the Yankees rallied from a three-run deficit to stall Baltimore’s playoff push.
Twins 6, White Sox 0
In Chicago, Byron Buxton and Jorge Polanco each hit a two-run home run to send James Shields to a major league high-tying 19th loss.
Rays 4, Rangers 1
In Arlington, Texas, Colby Lewis lost his fifth straight start in the right-hander’s tuneup for the playoffs.
Indians 6, Royals 3
In Kansas City, Francisco Lindor hit a two-out, two-run double during an eighth-inning rally.
Blue Jays 4, Red Sox 3
In Boston, Ezequiel Carrera hit a ninth-inning sacrifice fly to give Toronto the lead after the Red Sox tied it in the eighth on a balk.
Astros 3, Angels 0
In Anaheim, Collin McHugh pitched three-hit ball over 7⅔ innings.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cardinals 4, Pirates 3
In St. Louis, Jedd Gyorko hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning, Matt Holliday provided another big boost and the Cardinals pushed the playoff race to the final day.
Nationals 2, Marlins 1
In Washington, Nationals rookie Trea Turner hit his 13th homer, Tanner Roark tuned up for the playoffs with 5⅔ innings of one-run ball and the Nationals clinched home-field advantage in the NL Division Series.
Reds 7, Cubs 4
In Cincinnati, Jon Lester failed to become a 20-game winner, struggling for the first time since mid-July.
Brewers 4, Rockies 3 (10)
In Denver, Chris Carter hit a tiebreaking home run with two outs in the 10th.
Mets 5, Phillies 3
In Philadelphia, the Mets clinched a playoff spot, beating the Phillies to secure the top National League wild card.
Giants 3, Dodgers 0
In San Francisco, Giants rookie Ty Blach outpitched ace Clayton Kershaw, and the home team held its lead for the last NL playoff spot going into the final day of the regular season.
Diamondbacks 9, Padres 5
In Phoenix, Yasmany Tomas hit a three-run homer as part of Arizona’s five-run first inning in a win.
INTERLEAGUE
Braves 5, Tigers 3
In Atlanta, Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis homered, rookie Aaron Blair had a career-high 10 strikeouts and the last-place Braves damaged Detroit’s playoff hopes.
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